Good ol' comfort and great food

Wednesday

Jan 30, 2013 at 12:01 AM

You are headed west on State Road 40. Your tummy starts to grumble. Now is the time to stop in Sterlings Restaurant in Astor.

LUNCH BUNCH

You are headed west on State Road 40. Your tummy starts to grumble. Now is the time to stop in Sterlings Restaurant in Astor. That's where News-Journal staffer Karen Gallagher and her husband, David, headed on a recent Sunday for comfort food in a relaxed setting. Q: You get comfort AND comfort food?

Yes, Sterlings is a mainstay on State Road 40. The owners dubbed it "A Touch of Class in the Country." The restaurant has an old-fashioned feel with old-school decor. There are deep booths and big round tables, along with lots of wood paneling, green plants and a large aquarium with goldfish. You'll feel at home the second you walk through the door and are greeted by the friendly staff. It's a place where locals celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, where youngsters take Mom for Mother's Day. Q: And the comfort FOOD?

Karen and David were there at midday Sunday, so the restaurant was full of diners and wonderful aromas. For $6.95, you can choose from Sunday's Family-Style menu of 18 entrees – from chicken and dumplings to beef tips over rice and beer-battered fish or seafood gumbo (the Sunday menu changes). The day they were there, the menu had a choice of 16 sides from which to choose, including pickled beets, fried cabbage, blackeye peas, fried corn on the cob and okra with stewed tomatoes, just to name a few. You get two sides – and homemade dessert is included. Q: So what did you choose?

Karen went for fried chicken livers with coleslaw and collard greens. David chose the 8-ounce Charlie's Favorite Steak (sirloin) with green beans and mashed potatoes and gravy. As a bread lover, he added a biscuit to his order. Their server, who also is one of the cooks, made the biscuits that morning and was thrilled David gave her kitchen skills an A-plus for the "perfect" biscuit. Their only complaint, which was minor, was that the coleslaw was too dry and could have used a little liquid "oomph" this day. They were too full for dessert, even for a scoop of ice cream. Q: And the cost?